Automatic trash cans offer convenience and hygiene advantages. They are hands-free, making them ideal for cooking or handling food. With these bins, you can dispose of food scraps or packaging without needing to touch the lid.
Consider these key factors before investing in automatic trash cans:
- Material: Trash cans are made from either plastic or metal. Stainless steel is a common choice because it’s strong, durable, looks modern, resists odors, and is pricey. Plastic bins are cheaper but can stain or hold odors.
- Capacity: Touchless trash cans come in sizes ranging from 2.5 to 30 gallons. Smaller ones (4-7 gallons) fit well in cabinets, while larger ones (15-20 gallons) are suitable for bigger households, and offices.
- Shape: Bins come in different shapes, round, square, rectangular, and oval. Rectangular or square bins are good for small spaces, while oval or round bins are better suited for larger areas like patios.
Our comprehensive “Buying Guide” assists you in selecting the finest Auto Garbage Cans.
Best Automatic Trash Cans Table
| Automatic Trash Cans | Capacity | Construction | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| NINESTARS Motion Sensor Trash Can | 13 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| BestOffice Automatic Trash Can | 13 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| EKO Mirage-T Automatic Sensor Trash Can | 13.2 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| SensorCan Automatic Trash Can | 13 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| HOmeLabs Automatic Trash Can | 13 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| HCB Metal Automatic Trash Can | 13.2 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| Glad Automatic Trash Can | 20 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| iTouchless Sensor Trash Can | 13 gallon | Stainless steel | Check On Amazon |
| TOWNEW T1 Automatic Trash Can | 4 gallon | Plastic | Check On Amazon |
Best Automatic Trash Cans Reviews
1. NINESTARS Motion Sensor Trash Can
Ninestars is a highly popular brand of home accessories and automated products like its automatic trash can that we have presented here.
The Ninestars DZT-50-9 automatic trash can comes at the 1st position of this list since you can consider this if you are on a budget but still want a heavy-duty one. For starters, you get a capacity of 13 gallons with it making it viable for a lot of buyers.
Apart from looking modern and premium, its stainless steel construction also makes the trash can highly durable. Although, this does make the trash can a bit heavy which not everyone likes. Being a popular and reputable brand, Ninestars include a 2-year warranty for great longevity.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 2 year
Pros:
- Decently affordable for most buyers
- Great build quality
- Uses a touch-free motion sensor
Cons:
- A bit on the heavier side
2. BestOffice Automatic Trash Can
BestOffice is known for providing high quality work from home furniture and other convenient home solutions. Among the wide range of their products, the automatic trash can is the best in terms of quality and durability.
It comes with a capacity of 13 gallons which is more than enough for most of the daily residential purposes. It is equipped with infrared sensor which automatically opens the trash can when your hand or garbage is within the sensor zone.
When it senses 4 seconds of inactivity, it automatically closes slowly. There is a power switch behind which lets you turn off when you are not going to use it for long time. It has a tough stainless-steel construction which is anti-fingerprint function and smudge-resistant.
Best Features:
- 13 gallons of capacity
- Smudge and fingerprint resistant
- Odorless and easy to clean
- Stylish and modern design
Pros:
- 4 seconds delay closing
- Opens and closes without making noise
- Non-slip base
- Power switch to turn off when it’s not needed
- Good battery life
- Hands-free
Cons:
- Customer service is not up to the mark
3. EKO Mirage-T Motion Automatic Garbage Can
Eko Mirage is a fairly new brand when compared to other options in the market for those who are buying a smart and automated trash can.
Despite being a newer brand, the Eko Mirage automatic trash can is quite similar to many other options out there. This even includes its capacity which is rated at 13.2 gallons making it ideal for homes and other places.
While it is great to have a battery-powered trash can, this one takes 6 AA batteries which is a bit high for some buyers. Since this trash can uses a brushed metal finish, not only does it look good, but you also get high strength from it. Even though Eko Mirage is a bit on the newer side, it still includes a 3-year warranty making it highly reliable.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13.2 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 3 year
Pros:
- Quite reliable and durable
- Great size for home usage
- Premium build quality with brushed steel
Cons:
- Requires a lot of batteries
4. SensorCan Automatic Trash Can
SensorCan can be another viable option if you are looking for smart and automated products and tools for your home which even includes its automatic trash can.
This SensorCan automatic trash can comes at the 3rd position of this article because it offers effortless automated usage. While it is quite an automatic trash can, its infrared motion sensor does come in handy for opening the trash can without even touching it.
Just like other affordable options, this premium automatic trash can also has a capacity of 13 gallons which is ideal for home-usage. Since it is a highly premium automatic trash can, its stainless steel construction and the included 1-year warranty are to be expected.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 1 year
Pros:
- Premium build quality
- Highly effective infrared sensor
- Ideal for home and office usage
Cons:
- Quite an expensive automatic trash can
5. HOmeLabs Automatic Trash Can
As most of you would guess from its name, Homelabs makes smart and innovative products for use at your home which can make your life much easier.
And if you wish to make your life easier and simpler, then getting their automatic trash can be a viable option. Being an automated trash can, you do not have to touch this trash can for opening it as it uses motion sensors.
Coming to the trash can size and specifications, this has a standard size of 13 gallons. It also comes with a 2-year warranty making it quite reliable. Although, while it is made out of stainless steel, it is not as durable as other steel options in the market.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 2 year
Pros:
- Pretty functional motion sensor
- Runs on battery power
- Standard size for home use
Cons:
- Build quality could have been better
6. HCB Metal Automatic Trash Can
Since not everyone has the budget for going with a premium automatic trash can, HCB makes a couple of affordable and entry-level options for home-usage.
Those of you who are on a tight budget can go with the HCB automatic trash can since it is the cheapest trash can present here. Unlike what you would expect from a budget option, this one has a standard capacity of 13 gallons.
It is combined with a stainless steel construction which looks quite premium. While it does make the trash can a bit heavy, you do get a sturdy build quality from it. This is great to have especially when you combine with its 1-year warranty which is great to have with a budget automatic trash can.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 1 year
Pros:
- Quite an affordable trash can
- Excellent value for money
- Sturdy stainless steel construction
Cons:
- Can be a bit heavy for some users
7. Glad Sensor Trash Can
Glad and its automatic trash can be an ideal option for those who have a large family or simply want to use a trash can in an office space due to its heavy-duty size.
Taking a look at the automatic trash can from Glad, it is the best option stated here made for heavy-duty usage. This is primarily due to the reason that you get an excellent capacity of 20 gallons from this automatic trash which can be used to store a lot of trash easily.
Since this automatic trash can is designed for heavy-duty usage, Glad has also included a stainless construction with it. To ensure that it lasts for a long time, Glad even includes a 2-year warranty with it despite its given price tag resulting in a high value for money.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 20 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 2 year
Pros:
- High value for money trash can
- Perfect for heavy-duty usage
- Uses an internal bag ring
Cons:
- Not the most compact option
8. iTouchless Garbage Can Automatic
Just per the name, iTouchless is primarily a brand of automated products that have sensors inside and do not need any physical input which is a great feature to have in a trash can.
iTouchless’ automatic trash can comes at the 2nd position of this listicle as it can be a great automated option without paying a lot of money. Unlike many other automated options, this one has a motion sensor so that you do not have to touch the trash can to open its lid. Although, this lid is a bit on the smaller side when compared to others.
Coming to the construction of this automatic trash can, it uses a great looking brushed stainless exterior which also offers high structural integrity. Despite being a fairly inexpensive touchless automatic trash can, iTouchless still manages to include a 1-year warranty.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 13 gallons
- Made out of stainless steel
- Comes with a warranty period of 1 year
Pros:
- Completely touch-free
- Includes an odor control system
- Decent trash can size for most buyers
Cons:
- Lid size is a bit small
9. TOWNEW Automatic Trash Can
Townew is a brand of automatic trash can which offers quite unique products that are highly feature-rich but offer different usage than standard trash cans.
The Townew T1 automatic trash can is one of the smartest and a highly feature-rich option out there. Apart from its motion-sensing lid, you also get self-sealing and self-changing garbage bags with this compact smart trash can.
Unfortunately, all these features come at the expense of its capacity which is rated at just 43 gallons. Not only that but this automatic trash can is made out of plastic instead of stainless steel offered by most other options. Thankfully, you do get a 1-year warranty with it.
Best Features:
- Rated capacity of 4 gallons
- Made out of plastic
- Comes with a warranty period of 1 year
Pros:
- Highly smart automatic trash can
- Automated garbage bag dispenser and sealer
- Small and compact
Cons:
- Poor capacity rating
- Made out of plastic
How To Choose The Best Automatic Trash Cans – Buying Guide
While shopping for touchless or automatic trash cans, you need to explore several features for the selection of the right option, as per your requirement.
Let’s take a closer look into the factors to consider before choosing the touchless trash can.
1. Material
These automatic touchless trash cans are constructed with either plastic or metal. Here is a detailed description that helps to find the right option as per your need.
- Metal: The most common and popular type of touchless trash cans due to their extreme durability, sleek look, easy to clean, and won’t retain any odors. These metal touchless trash cans can be available with stainless steel, gold, brushed nickel, bronze, rose gold, and other even colored finishes. Among these styles, stainless steel is the common finish used widely, yet ensure to purchase an anti-fingerprint finish feature to maintain it smudge-free.
- Plastic: Compared to metal models, these automatic plastic trashcans are not strong, durable, and also more prone to retain stains and odors easily. The main benefit is that they are less expensive and come in various colors like black, grey, and white.
2. Capacity
The capacity of the touchless trashcans is measured by the number of gallons it holds. However, standard sizes are available from 2 ½ gallons to 21 gallons, in which you can select the number of holding capacities that are correctly sized for the trash bag.
Choose a smaller model with a holding capacity of 4 – 7 gallons when you want to place a touchless trashcan inside the cabinet. Alternatively, opt for a touchless trashcan of 15 – 20 gallons for large households generating a great amount of trash.
Also, it is essential to know the holding capacity of the can to ensure that it will fit into your available space. For this, you have to check the dimensions of the trashcan and measure the area before making its purchase. Mostly, the trashcans come with 16 – 18 inches wide, 25 – 26 inches tall, and 11 – 12 inches deep.
3. Shape
Usually, touchless trashcans come in a variety of shapes like rectangular, round, square, and oval shapes. It is ideal to use a rectangular or square style trash can in a smaller space, as it let you tuck the trashcan easily in a corner. While a lot of space is required for oval or round trash cans, which makes it is the best option to use for larger kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor patios.
4. Motion Sensor
Simply wave your hands around the trash can to open a motion sensor model, and wait for it to open. So, it is essential to take note of the sensitivity of the trash can sensor before buying them. Among these sensor technologies, infrared technology is easy to use sensor and they are nearly durable and everlasting.
Spills around the trash cans might happen occasionally, so it’s better to invest in a waterproof sensor to prevent purchasing a new option whenever kids or other people spill water or liquids over the front of the can.
The main drawback of these sensors is that they won’t distinguish between a paper plate or a hand, as they open the lid irrespective of any object that gets into contact within 6 inches. So, find a can with a sensor detecting hands or items lingering a bit close to the can. However, closing the lid when scraping a plate is not at all a fun experience.
It is vital to select a trash can with the sensor that activates the lid when you want to open it. Also, some sensor bins will open the top after you walk by the garbage can. This may drain the battery, especially done with cheap sensor models.
5. Power Source
Generally, a touchless trash can is powered by either battery (mostly D-size batteries) or a plug-in adapter.
You will need 4 D-size batteries to operate battery-powered models for a year, while you can simply plug in the adapter to the nearby electrical wall outlet without any worry to change batteries when using the power cord models. Also, if using the trash can outside for barbecues or parties, then purchase extra batteries for backup power.
A few higher-end models offer both power sources, which means they come with a power adaptor that lets you choose between outlet or battery. Simply to say, connect the power adaptor whenever its battery dies without running for a new set of batteries.
6. Odor Absorbing Filter
Some automatic trash cans feature a carbon filter to absorb odors and thereby won’t make your garbage smell. Though you have to pay extra for this feature, yet it is worth buying when concerned more about odors. They are set inside the trash can to remain clean air, which is safe to breathe. However, periodic replacement of these filters in the touchless trash can is quite essential for its proper odor absorption, even though it incurs extra cost.
7. Trash Recycling
Some motion sensor trash can models can easily store and recycle the trash in a place. This means this type of can comes with two compartments to throw away the waste and recycle it. Although, it is not at all a compact option, yet provides better convenience and also develops a habit of trash recycling.
Benefits Of Using A Touchless Garbage Cans
The main advantage of this automatic trash is that the lid opens all by itself compared to a traditional/regular trash can. A few models have a motion sensor that opens the lid when someone waves their hand or garbage in front of the can. While some low-tech models offer a foot pedal, in which the lid opens when you press the pedal.
Here are some of the benefits you get by using an automatic trash can.
- Hygienic: As the name implies, you can simply throw the garbage into the trash can without touching it, which means, you won’t get exposed to bacteria, germs, viruses, and other microbes that are present in the garbage.
- Ergonomic: It is ergonomically designed that won’t let you crouch or bend to open the can for throwing waste. Thus, it provides great relief to your back and knees, especially for those who are suffering from its aches.
- Saves a Lot of Time: There is no need to wash your hands after throwing garbage/waste into the trash can while cooking food. Thus, it saves a lot of time and water.
- Wide Opening: Most touchless trash cans feature a wider opening of the lid compared to other garbage cans, which means they let you toss out large items quickly and easily.
- Space Saver: With their streamlined design, these touchless trash cans consume less space in any place you kept them (like kitchen, patio, or bathroom) compared to traditional trash cans.
- Security: A few automatic trash cans feature a locking system that prevents your pets from getting into the garbage and making a mess.
Tips To Use An Auto Trash Cans
Here are a few tips and tricks that help you for the proper usage of these automatic trash cans.
- It is a must to maintain a clean and dry motion sensor on the automatic trash can, why because the moisture and debris block the sensor and thereby make the can unable to open properly.
- Never place the motion sensor of the touchless trash cans under direct sunlight, as it limits the proper working of this sensor.
- Always keep this trash can in a place where it allows the free movement of the lid (opening and closing) without any restrictions or blockages. So, based on the trash can’s size, you may or may not set it under the countertop.
- Don’t overfill a garbage bag in the automatic trash can. The reason is that the bag snugly fits inside a touchless trash can, and might tear easily while pulling it out. Moreover, it causes you some trouble to remove the overfull bag.
Automatic Trash Cans FAQs
Ans: Several automatic trash cans feature odor control filters or pouches, yet if the stench is not going away, then you have to perform a deep cleaning by using a baking soda.
Ans: Generally, one has to clean the trash can at least twice a year on regular basis.
Ans: Here are some simple steps to fix your touchless trash can.
* Check and change the dead batteries.
* Check the hinges, whether any food or other trash is stuck in it and thereby restricts it’s working.
* If you do not know the problem, then call the customer support of the company from where you brought the can.
Ans: It is essential to know how long your touchless trashcan batteries will last while shopping for them. Usually, the batteries will last for around 6 months, yet their lifespan depends mostly on the type of batteries and the frequency of their usage (opening and closing the can). A few models offer a power adaptor that lets you plug the can into the power outlet for its proper functioning.
Ans: Almost all touchless trash cans are compatible with the standard size of garbage bags. Some trashcan models are a bit smaller than regular trash cans, which makes the regular garbage bags not to fit exactly or appropriately. Some manufacturers of touchless trash can design custom bags to make sure that they will exactly fit into them.
Ans: The use of automatic trash cans is an effective option to keep pets reach out of the garbage, yet there is a chance that a large dog or similar pets might activate the motion sensor. So, to keep your pet away from the trash, you have to seek out the model offering lock to secure the trashcan, especially while you go out of the home.
Conclusion
Whether you are cooking food or doing anything else in your kitchen, you would not want to touch your trash can every time you have to throw something in. This is where you can use the best automatic trash cans stated above that have smart sensors that automatically open the lid when you want to throw something in.
Our Top recommendations for the best automatic trash cans:
- If you have a big family or need a trash can for the office, the Glad Automatic Sensor Trash Can is a great option. It holds 20 gallons, the largest capacity here, and is built with stainless steel, backed by a 2-year warranty for heavy use.
- The TOWNEW T1 Automatic Trash Can has many features. It includes built-in automated trash bags, though its 4-gallon size and it made of plastic.
- And HCB Metal Automatic Trash Can It’s made of stainless steel, holds 13 gallons, and comes with a 1-year warranty and durability.
